Switch



*June 14, 1949- R. s. RoBBlNs ErAL 2,473,303

SWITGH Filed Aug. 24, 1945 19 26. mi 5o 17 17 2g 26 l Il'l n 3 32 1216 614 J g 25 2f\ 205 :l

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INVENTORS ,6M-.45, ma? (1 we T uuv Patented June 14, 1949 SWITCH Rolland S. Robbins and Carl T. Cochran, Lakewood, Ohio Application August 24, 1945, Serial No. 612,432

(Cl. 20G- 16) 1 Claim. 1

Our invention relates to a safety device for automotive vehicles, stationary engines of the internal combustion type, and the like, and pertains more particularly to a cut-out or ground switch operating to open the battery circuit and to ground or open the generator or distributor circuit of such mechanism.

, It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a device of this character which is of simple and compact construction, positive in its operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to produce a device of this character which is provided with a single, movable contact operating in one direction to open a battery circuit and to ground a generator circuit where the device is employed in a power plant having both circuits.

Another object of the invention is the provi- Sion of means for remote operating control of the switch.

A further object is to prevent res due to short circuits and also to prevent unauthorized operation of the power plant.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism for the switch by which the movable contact may, when desired, be held out of its normal battery circuit closing position.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will become more apparent as the following description of an embodiment thereof progresses, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of a switch embodying our invention shown partly in vertical section; Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 but shows the device rotated 90 about its axis;

Figure 3 is a side vi-ew of the forward end of a Bowden cable mounted on a support and having an operating knob shown in full line position when the battery circuit is closed and shown in dotted linesl to indicate this position of the knob when the said circuit is open;

Figure 4 is a detail side view of a cam lever having connection with the other end of the Bowden cable for operating the switch plunger; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one manner in which the device may be connected in a battery and generator or distributor circuit.

= It is not uncommon for destructive fires to start in automotive vehicles due to short circuits or grounds in the battery circuit. Furthermore, the theft of an automobile may be accomplished, even if the battery circuit is disconnected, by pushing the vehicle in gear to cause the generator to generate and deliver sufcient current and voltage.

for the operation of the vehicle and its lights.- By our invention we have produced a device which will insure the owner against such conditions, by providing means whereby the battery circuit may readily be disconnected entirely by opening the battery circuit, such means being also operable to render the generator ineffective.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing includes a casingI which comprises a hollow body having a base 2 integral therewith along the bottom wall by which the casing may be attached to a support. One wall of the casing has a projection 3 formed integral therewith and which is provided with an inner bore 4 for receivig and guiding rod 5 on which the movable switch element or contact 6 is carried within the casing. A pair of binding posts 1 and 8 are insulated at 9 from the casing and project therethrough terminating within the casing in a pair of contacts I0 and II, respectively. These contacts are disposed opposite one another within the casing and are located within the path of movement of the movable contact 6 within the casing. The contactl is normally urged into contact with the contacts I0 and II, respectively, by means of a compression spring I2 axially arranged on the rod 5 and having one end in engagement with a wall I3 of the casing and its other end in engagement with one of the nuts I4. The contact 6 is rigidly mounted on the rod 5 by means of the nuts I4 carried on opposite sides of the contact 6, the contact being insulated on the rod 5 and from the nuts I4 by means of an insulating sleeve I5.

Spring contacts I6 are mounted on the top and bottom walls of the casing I1 and I8, respectively, one of the contacts IB being secured to the casing by means of a binding post I9 projecting through the upper wall I'I and insulated at I1' therefrom for receiving a wire 20 leading from a distributor or generator, when the power plant includes a generator1 circuit. Since the casing I is mounted on a part of the chassis of an automobile when used in connection with such a vehicle, the casing is, therefore, connected to the ground circuit thereof as is indicated at 2l in Figure 5.

One end of the rod 5 operates in the bore 4 formed in the projection 3, while the other end operates in an opening formed in the opposite wall 22 of the casing and projects therefrom as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The projecting end of the rod 5 is preferably bifurcated to receive a cam lever 23. This lever is pivotally and slidably mounted in the bifurcated end of the rod as shown, the pivot pin 24 operating in the slot 25 of the.=cam leverin'ra:manner.vvhichwilllbe:V described presently,

The switch or cut-out is operated remotely by.` any convenient means such as a Bowden cable*A 26. One end of the cable is mounted upon al support 21, as shown in Figure 3, and terminates. in an operating knob 28, the locationofthe knob being within convenient reach of the operator of the automobile. The otherend ofthe Bowdenf.

cable is pivotally attached to the cam lever, the

cable casing 29 being clamped on the casing'I by means of a clamping member 30.

Th'ecam lever isprovidecVwith-anfarm 23 and 'la Ycam portion f 3 I',` thelatter being engage-y able with a hardened-disci 32 'carriedbythe' cas-zI irigfI andfthrough which the outerend 'ofithe' rod -5 operatesf Thef-`cam'lever'is providedfor the'lpurpose of actuating `the'fmovablecontact 6 ori-thez rodi in' a directionzagainstthe compression-of `the'spririg VI2,2` as isindicatedA in broken` lines=--in Figure-1 when the operatori pulls *the knob28 'to the right or kbroken line position-in Figure `3. InA so ydoing-the #rear face133fof theAL cam in'engagement' with the disc- 321,3' the -highf point- 34 vof the ycam having -passed a dead-.centen position with :respect 'to 'the' pin' 24213 As the cam' approaches this broken y"line positio`r1`,'= thet cam lever 'will 'bei shifted jbodily'sdthat the'pin 24 willslide along the slot from 'the positionishown' iri'full lines in Figure -1 to lthe lpositionvshownindotted lines 0f that figure.l In this mannertheI movable contact' isi-brought into electrical contact with the groundA contact `I 6 `against the comL pression 'of -spring I2 andis heldin that'position` against accidental displacement. However, when the operator desires again to close the batr tery-circuit bypermittingthe movable contact sito return under the"compre`ssion'of' -springl2 to 4engagement withv the `insulated contacts IIl and I I 'and Athus close the V'batteryicircuit, it'- isf merely' necessary topushthe Vknob-28 from itsv broken line position in Figure 3 to' the solid lineV position'. In so doing, the cam' lever-23`is rockedA in 'a counter-clockwise'"directioninvFigure'1 to its' fullline positionwhereupon the highpoint S410i-the camwill passthe Adead center position with' lrespect tothe lpin^24 and the pinvvillthen` ride in' the lower end 4ofA the Vslot 25y as shown in Figure'2.

Referring more particularly' to Figure 5,1WeY` have shown diagrammatically thel switch" appliedy in" use in connectionl with-an automobile power plant, the switch being shown' conne'ctedin one position in the negative or' ground side of `a stor- Oy urge 'of "said "compression means, a Irodi lin' said age battery, and in its other position to ground a generator or distributor circuit. When the contact B is in the position shown in this gure the battery circuit is closed through the negative side to ground at 40', the positive side being closed through an ignition switch or stationary switch 4I and the customary secondary circuits to generator, ignition and lights and iinally to ground 42. In' order to groundthezgeneratr'f through the switch I when the `batte'ry'fcircuit is' opened by pulling the knob 28 to its dotted line position in Figure 3, the Wire 2D is connected to the insulated post I9 by means of a wire 44.

Various changes may be made in the details of IconstructionA and arrangement of parts without departing from the invention or the scope of the appendedclaim We claim:

Atde'vi'ce of the class described comprising a casing, a pair of battery circuit contacts insulated fr'ornfth: casing-land mountedi on J oppo'site'fsides thereof, amovablercon-tact adaptedrto bridge said r'st contacts, compression 'meanslnormallyurging said movable -contact into .engagementwith said pairi of "contacts, -a YgeneratorI batteryv circuit l con#v tact insulated from said casing-andengageable by said movable contact when`v the latter is moved toits'limitfof motion in a 'direction to disengage said'f battery-circuit contacts-and against the casing carrying -said 'movable contact, and lva `'cam lever having pivotalv and sliding engagement/with an lend of -said rodrto movethe rodi-intopposite di-'i rection's; saidcam lever havingazslotrthereiny-a slot,'the` cam portions of thelever `having front and rear face portions embracing an intermediate heel-v 'or high point portion," said cam' slot ybeing so' positioned relative to said "hig-hfpoint thatr movement of the lever to its limit of movementin'either direction will'urge said pin to one respective end `'of said slo't past a dead center posi# tion to thereby hold the movable Contactin its respective limits of movement and incontact with one or the 'other ofsaid battery or'generator circuit contacts, and means for moving said cam' lever.

ROLLAND S. ROBBINS? CARL'TJ COCHRAN. J

The following referenlceslare of v-re'cord in the leof this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

